Neag Center Home Page | NYC SEM Menu Page | Professional Development Options [SEMNYC]
All full day workshops can be presented as two half-days or a series of after-school mini-courses. Any of the topics can be offered in half or whole days at an individual school or network of schools. Other presentation formats can be arranged as requested.
| A1. OVERVIEW OF THE SCHOOLWIDE ENRICHMENT MODEL Facilitators: Barry Oreck, Kristen Berman, Sheelah Sweeney, or Michele Femc-Bagwell 90-120 minutes (1/4 - 1/2 day) | |
| This introduction and overview can be tailored to small or large groups as an entry point for SEM. Our emphasis is on the philosophy of enrichment learning and teaching and how that idea infuses all aspects of the model. We discuss the central goals of SEM; to develop creative productive students and to make both teaching and learning enjoyable and relevant through a focus on strengths. This highly interactive session is highly recommended before starting to implement any SEM components. | |
| A2. SCHOOLWIDE ENRICHMENT MODEL INTRODUCTORY MINI-COURSE Facilitators: Barry Oreck, Kristen Berman, Sheelah Sweeney, or Michele Femc-Bagwell 8 hours—can be scheduled in 8, 4, or 2 hour blocks—Limit 75 participants | |
| This mini-course will provide an overview of the components of SEM for potential new SEM schools and existing sites who have not yet attended Confratute. Topics include:
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| A3. WEAVING SEM INTO THE FABRIC OF THE CURRICULUM WITH MARGARET BEECHER Facilitator: Margaret Beecher 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| This workshop focuses on specific techniques for integrating the Schoolwide Enrichment Model into the regular curriculum. Margaret Beecher, author of Developing the Gifts and Talents of All Students in the Regular Classroom will guide participants through a dynamic, creative process of curriculum development that fully differentiates classroom instruction and builds on the strengths and interests of students and teachers. Teachers will learn how to weave Type I, Type II and Type III Training Activities into their existing units of study to enliven daily lessons and reach long-term learning objectives. The role Reader's and Writer's Workshop and other current initiatives and the role they play in an SEM school will also be discussed. | |
| A4. BUILDING AN SEM SCHOOL: BLOCK BY BLOCK WITH MARGARET BEECHER Facilitator: Margaret Beecher 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Margaret Beecher, former principal of one of the country's premier SEM model schools in West Hartford, Connecticut has a wealth of experience in all phases of building and maintaining a school based on the principles of enrichment teaching and learning. Participants in this session will gain a clear, concise understanding of the multiple components of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model and how they can be woven into the fabric of the school in order to enrich and extend learning, improve student achievement, and close the achievement gap. Participants will have an opportunity to create a multi-year plan of action for their schools based on their individual needs and challenges. | |
| A5. AN SEM SEMINAR WITH JOE RENZULLI AND/OR SALLY REIS 8:30-3:00—Limit 150 participants | |
| Joe Renzulli and Sally Reis are available to work with principals, regional administrators, and school teams in any aspect of the model. These sessions may be directed toward existing SEM sites that are ready to take the next steps in the development of their program or to new sites that want to find out more about the model. | |
| B1. IMPLEMENTING AUTHENTIC ENRICHMENT CLUSTERS Facilitators: Kristen Berman, Barry Oreck, Michele Femc-Bagwell, or Sheelah Sweeney Can be scheduled for 1/2 or full days—Limit 40 participants | |
| Enrichment Clusters can be a highly valuable step for schools in introducing the processes of enrichment teaching and learning. This workshop lays the groundwork for teachers and administrators to plan and implement a successful cluster program, using student and teacher interest surveys, recruiting parents and community members, evaluating and assessing the program and leading professional development for the staff. This workshop can also be tailored for schools already implementing clusters to expand and improve the process and train new faculty and parents. | |
| B2. EVALUATING AND IMPROVING YOUR ENRICHMENT CLUSTER PROGRAM Facilitators: Kristen Berman, Barry Oreck, Michele Femc-Bagwell, or Sheelah Sweeney Can be scheduled for 1/2 or full days—Limit 40 participants | |
| Successful enrichment clusters take time to develop. This workshop is the ideal follow-up to the first year of implementation. It allows teachers to self-evaluate their cluster, revisit the goals and objectives, and expand their thinking and planning to further differentiate student roles, offer more product and service options for students, and make the process more authentic to the topic or domain. This is a valuable workshop for all cluster facilitators but can also be conducted with representatives who will then be able to lead this type of session with their colleagues. | |
| B3. ENRICHMENT CLUSTER LEADERSHIP GROUPS Facilitators: Kristen Berman, Barry Oreck, Michele Femc-Bagwell, or Sheelah Sweeney 2 hour sessions | |
| The large number of New York City schools currently implementing Enrichment Clusters offers a great opportunity to share ideas and creative solutions, answer common questions, visit other cluster programs, and build a network of leaders that can continue to improve and expand this component of SEM. Leadership teams can be organized by region, network, borough or citywide. | |
| C1. DIFFERENTIATION FOR HIGH-END LEARNING IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM Facilitators: Margaret Beecher, Kristen Berman, Sheelah Sweeney, Michele Femc-Bagwell or Barry Oreck 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Whether in a small group self-contained gifted program or mixed in the general classroom, gifted and talented students offer unique challenges. In this workshop teachers will learn to implement a range of classroom differentiation strategies including curriculum compacting, developing classroom Interest Centers, facilitating student-initiated, in-depth projects, and designing curriculum using the Enrichment Triad. | |
| C2. CURRICULUM COMPACTING: HOW TO DO IT Facilitator: Deb Goldbeck, Caroline Cohen, or Michele Femc-Bagwell 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Participants will learn a powerful differentiation management technique for meeting the needs of high ability students in the regular classroom. Used as a stand-alone strategy or an essential component of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, curriculum compacting adapts the regular elementary curriculum to individual students' abilities and needs. Curriculum compacting allows teachers to streamline and eliminate unnecessary curriculum and instruction and provide an optimal match of curricular content and expectations to the learner's knowledge, ability, interests, and learning styles. Step-by-step instructions will be presented for (1) identifying student strength areas, (2) evaluating and documenting mastery, (3) identifying student interests and learning styles, (4) providing appropriate enrichment and acceleration activities, and (5) record keeping. | |
| C3. ADVANCED CURRICULUM COMPACTING: SUPPORT AND FOLLOW-UP FOR TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEGUN IMPLEMENTING COMPACTING Facilitator: Deb Goldbeck, Caroline Cohen, or Michele Femc-Bagwell 8:30-3:00—Limit 25 participants | |
| This workshop is for teachers and administrators who already have an awareness of curriculum compacting and its necessity in the heterogeneous and homogeneous classroom and have taken the introductory workshop. Using actual curriculum participants will plan the pre-testing and replacement activities they would use to compact a specific part of their curriculum. We will discuss many topics concerning classroom management, resources and support for compacting, and a variety of methods to personalize the approach to the student and to teacher's style. Recommended resources for pre-testing and replacement activities will be presented. Following this workshop, individual or small group coaching should be provided, to support teachers in their early uses of curriculum compacting. This coaching could involve planning sessions, observations, and co-teaching. | |
| C4. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFERENTIATION FOR TEACHERS OF SELF-CONTAINED GIFTED CLASSES Facilitator: Kristen Berman, Michele Femc-Bagwell, Caroline Cohen, Susan Griggs or Greg Murin 8:30-3:00—Limit 50 participants | |
| This workshop will introduce curriculum models in gifted and talented education that extend traditional curriculum and provide for in-depth challenging educational experiences. Strategies that teach, integrate, and assess critical and creative thinking, and use of authentic methods of inquiry and development of original creative products will be emphasized. These strategies can be used to enhance the curriculum that you are currently using to provide a rich, rigorous, and motivating experience for high ability learners. We will address methods to assess children's unique interests, learning preferences and individual readiness levels. Strategies such as curriculum compacting, tiering of assignments, individual learner contracts, arts integration, and total talent portfolios will be covered as a means to provide appropriate challenge to all students. Strategies for classroom management, motivation, and instruction that sustain the interest of high end learners will be provided. | |
| C5. TEACHING FOR UNDERSTANDING, RELEVANCE AND RIGOR Facilitator: Scott Beall 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| In these workshops, participants learn how to make adjustments to their classroom delivery and how to design "makeovers" of existing curricula to increase student engagement and depth of understanding. All participants leave with concrete applications ready for implementation in their classrooms. Elements of various leading education frameworks, including Understanding by Design (McTighe/Wiggins), Schoolwide Enrichment Model (Renzulli), The Coalition of Essential Schools Common Principles (Sizer), are utilized and applied in the work. Operational curricular examples that include interdisciplinary designs, community-based problem-solving projects, inquiry-driven designs and content organized and framed by 21st century essential questions and big ideas are referenced and explored. Organizational frameworks for schools and curriculum including "sustainability education" and teaching for 21st century skills are offered as a specialty emphasis for these workshops. All professional development programs and workshops are custom-designed for the needs and readiness of specific schools and include a variety of follow-up support options. | |
| C6. MEETING THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE LEARNERS THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY TEACHING AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION Facilitator: Scott Beall 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| In these workshops, participants develop strategies and classroom-ready curricular modifications that utilize interdisciplinary teaching as a differentiation tool. Foundational concepts of interdisciplinary transfer, multiple intelligences theory and learning modalities are explored as a basis for the work. Participants draw from a variety of differentiation strategies that engage students in connecting multiple disciplines, including menu-driven (choice) project-based unit designs, tiered/open ended activities, flexible grouping strategies, problem-based and thematic unit design, and multi-modality instruction. The integrated music and mathematics curriculum from Mr. Beall's publication Functional Melodies—Finding Mathematical Relationships In Music, is offered as a specialty emphasis for these workshops. All professional development programs and workshops are custom-designed for the needs and readiness of specific schools and include a variety of follow-up support options. | |
| C7. THE ROLE OF ADMINISTRATORS IN SUPPORTING TEACHERS' USE OF DIFFERENTIATION AND COMPACTING Facilitator: Caroline Cohen 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| This workshop focuses on the unique—and vital—role of the administrator in establishing the philosophy and practice of curricular and instructional differentiation in schools (K-12). Teachers are being asked to differentiate curriculum and learning experiences for the diversity of learner ability, style, and interest found in the classroom. Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of differentiation and curriculum compacting in improving students' academic performance and emotional well-being. Teachers embrace differentiation more readily if administrators are knowledgeable and involved. Practitioners need administrative support for the training and implementation stages in the acquisition of new beliefs and skills. This workshop provides an overview of the theory, rationale, major strategies, challenges, myths and misconceptions of differentiation, with emphasis on how administrators can help their teachers understand differentiation and compacting as ways to provide a better match between learners and curricular expectations. Strategies will be suggested for communication about differentiation to faculty, administration, staff, parents, students, and community groups. Recommended literature, resources, and professional development strategies for administrators and teachers will be presented. | |
| C8. DEVELOPING CLASSROOM INTEREST AND LEARNING CENTERS Facilitator: Caroline Cohen 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| This workshop provides an introduction to learning and interest centers, and their uses in curriculum and instruction from Kindergarten through High School. Centers are an engaging and effective way to provide content information and develop skills. This workshop will examine interest centers and learning centers, their uses, and their value to both teacher and student. Participants will view a variety of successful interest and learning centers. Basic components of centers will be discussed, and suggestions for creating, displaying, maintaining, and storing centers will be provided. Useful resources will be recommended. Participants will have the opportunity to plan an interest or learning center for their own use. | |
| D1. THE WONDERS OF MATH WITH MS. MATH Facilitator: Rachel McAnnallen 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Rachel McAnallen is known throughout the country for her unique approaches that enhance students' number sense while raising teachers' confidence and enjoyment in teaching math. Focusing on a range of topics that enhance and expand on the New York City math curriculum Rachel takes teachers on a fun and transformative voyage of discovery that can help them move students toward higher levels of mathematical understanding and performance. Workshop days can be focused on any grade level and feature modeling with classes of students along with work with teachers. Special workshop focused on accelerated math, differentiation in the math curriculum and other topics can be arranged. | |
| D2. NUMBER SENSE GAMES AND PUZZLES FOR PRIMARY STUDENTS Facilitator: Tom Schersten 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Participants will be introduced to a variety of classroom activities using interlocking cubes and dice to give concrete experiences to primary students in the areas of counting, number sense, addition, subtraction, spatial sense, logic and reasoning, problem solving, probability, and statistics. Upon completion of the workshop participants will be able to teach these concepts with developmentally appropriate activities and to assess student performance through the activities. | |
| D3. ALTERNATIVE COMPUTATIONAL ALGORITHMS (GRADES 3 - 6) Facilitator: Tom Schersten 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Using base ten blocks, participants will find that we don't have to start on the right side when we add and subtract, that we don't have to borrow in subtraction EVER if we don't want to, that we can multiply 2-digit numbers in our heads, and that we can divide however we want to, so that not everyone's written solution looks the same. We'll also ee that we can FOIL fraction multiplication, instead of changing mixed numbers into improper fractions, and that we can do division by partial quotients in fractions instead of inverting and multiplying. | |
| D4. ALGEBRA THROUGH VISUALLY-MEDIATED THINKING (GRADES 6 - 9) Facilitator: Tom Schersten 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Representing mathematics concepts with concrete manipulatives provides visual, spatial, tactile, and kinesthetic input to the learner and allows for greater participation in the learning process by the right half of the brain. Using 2-color chips, dice, and algebra tiles, participants will model operations with integers and will add, subtract, and evaluate polynomials, solve equations, multiply binomials, and factor trinomials. Resist the monopoly in education by left-hemisphered, verbal-sequential thinking. | |
| E1. IMPROVING THINKING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM: INTRODUCTORY SESSION Facilitator: Greg Murin 8:30-3:00—Limit 50 participants | |
This session introduces participants to a series of thinking skills activities that can easily be inserted into their current curriculum to encourage students to think more carefully. Participants will examine the importance of thinking skills using various classroom starters, project ideas, brainteasers, games, unit writing and development. Also methods to evaluate and assess these skills will be discussed. Various materials, sources, and websites to develop thinking skills will be shown. Participants will learn to build higher level thinking skill instruction into their classrooms. Decision making, critical thinking, problem solving, and creative instructional methods will be presented with transfer of these the focus.
Participants will:
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| E2. IMPROVING THINKING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM PART II Facilitator: Greg Murin 8:30-3:00—Limit 25 participants | |
This workshop is for those who have completed the first thinking skills session and are thus ready to enter into advanced thinking skills curriculum design. The focus of this session will be more on participant involvement in developing heuristics for thinking to be used with students, scope and sequence preparation, and developing instruments to use in their classrooms for assessment of specific thinking skills taught to their students. Each participant will design these particulars for their specific subject area/curriculum needs.
Participants will:
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| E3. LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! ANIMATION IN THE CLASSROOM Facilitator: Greg Murin 8:30-3:00—Limit 15 participants | |
| This workshop provides participants with instruction in the use of a PC laptop computer and digital camera to develop stop-motion animated movies with students in the classroom. The focus is in the storyboarding, creation, filming, musical/narration enhancing, and editing of a short subject specifically designed to teach a particular curriculum concept. Claymation, robotics, cutouts, cartoons, and constructions are just a few of the possibilities available with this media. The only limit to the animation is the imagination of the participants! Each individual in the workshop will be involved in creating an animated movie and be able to "make it and take it". This involvement will allow them to go back to their classrooms and do the same type of work with their students. Participants will:
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| F1. TALENTED READERS: WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT DO THEY NEED? Facilitator: Susannah Richards 8:30-3:00—Limit 50 participants | |
| This session will provide an overview of appropriate instructional approaches and materials to use to meet the needs of talented readers in grades 3-7. Characteristics of talented readers and research on the current reading instructional practices with talented readers will be discussed. The focus of the session will highlight opportunities for talented readers to continue to develop their thinking and reading abilities as they explore their interests through a variety of reading experiences that provide them with the opportunity to continue to grow as readers. A handout of resources to support talented readers will be provided. | |
| F2. BOOKS AND HOOKS TO LIFELONG LEARNING Facilitator: Susannah Richards 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| This session will include an overview of the children's book world. It will focus on how to use books to meet the needs of gifted students. Featured books will include recently published fiction and non-fiction books that stimulate engagement and lead to critical and creative thinking experiences. A medley of books from various genres (biographies, poetry, concept books, collections, etc.) will be used to illustrate how to facilitate reading engagement where students explore new worlds, learn a skill and see books as places for ideas. | |
| G1. AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT: USING RUBRICS TO ASSESS TYPE III PROJECTS Facilitator: Caroline Cohen or Barry Oreck 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| This is an introductory workshop to help teachers and administrators develop and apply valid assessment methods for student projects and investigation. Participants will explore a range of differentiated products learn how to grade them through checklists and rubrics. The workshop presents what rubrics are and aren't, and how valuable they can be for both teachers and students. This workshop helps make assessments and grading easier for teachers and more helpful for their students. Participants will create a list of alternative products they could assign to meet students' style and ability differences, while aligning to the required curriculum and standards. | |
| H1. DIFFERENTIATING THE CURRICULUM THROUGH THE ARTS Facilitator: Barry Oreck or Kristen Berman 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| In this workshop teachers will experience a range of effective arts-based methods that can enliven the curriculum, build learning and communication skills, and improve students' academic performance. We will focus on research-based strategies that link participation in music, drama, puppetry, dance, storytelling, and visual arts with cognitive development, opening pathways to understanding and higher levels of critical thinking. Topics will include developing performance products and portfolios, assessing artistic products, and identifying students' artistic gifts and talents. The workshop can be designed as an overview of a variety of art forms, or can focus on one genre specific to the interest of the participants. | |
| H2. IDENTIFYING ARTISTIC TALENT IN DANCE, MUSIC AND THEATER 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| The artistic talents of many students go unrecognized and unappreciated in school. In fact, research shows that a significant percentage of students with outstanding abilities in the arts struggle on tests and have difficulties in the structure of the traditional classroom. The Talent Assessment Process in Dance, Music and Theater (D/MT TAP) is a systematic, research-based process that helps schools fairly and reliably identify students' talents and provides teachers and parents with invaluable information about students' strengths and learning styles. This workshop will help classroom teachers and arts specialists use D/M/T TAP to recognize the characteristics of talent and develop activities to put those abilities to use in the classroom. This process can also be used for selection for special programs, performing groups, or instructional opportunities as well as for entry into magnet school programs and for scholarship auditions. | |
| H3. THE ART OF SHADOW THEATRE: THE ULTIMATE ENRICHMENT TOOL with KRISTEN BERMAN 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| From the ancient emperors of China to Lion King and Austin Powers, the magical art of shadow theatre has been used for millennia to create every illusion from comedy to mystery to social commentary. Learn the special effect techniques of this powerful mode of puppetry as we create all the components for our own theatre piece while incorporating the disciplines of history, literature, science, engineering, art, and storytelling. There is a job for everyone: building the stage, writing the script, creating the puppets, composing the sounds, and presenting the performance. | |
| I1. INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION METHOD (IIM) STUDENTS ARE NEVER TOO YOUNG TO BE RESEARCHERS! WITH CINDY NOTTAGE AND VIRGINIA MORSE 8:30-4:30—Limit 40 participants | |
| SESSION 1—WHOLE CLASS STUDY—IIM GROUP BASIC LEVEL In this one-day session, elementary teachers will be exposed to the Independent Investigation Method (IIM), a proven research model for students in grades K-12. They will:
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| I2. FOLLOW-UP | |
| SESSION 2—INDEPENDENT AND SMALL GROUP STUDIES—IIM INDEPENDENT BASIC LEVEL In this one-day follow-up session, elementary teachers will:
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| I3. FOLLOW-UP | |
| SESSION 3—MOVING TO TYPE III'S WITH IIM In this one-day follow-up session, teachers who have training and experience in IIM will use their required curriculum to build units that invite TYPE III research studies. They will:
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| I4. USING THE RESEARCH PROCESS TO POWER UP THE SCHOOLWIDE ENRICHMENT MODEL—SECONDARY | |
| SESSION 1—INDEPENDENT AND SMALL GROUP STUDIES—IIM INDEPENDENT BASIC LEVEL In this one-day session, secondary teachers will be exposed to the Independent Investigation Method (IIM) , a proven research model for students in grades K-12. They will:
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| I5. FOLLOW-UP | |
| SESSION 2—ADVANCED RESEARCH SKILLS—IIM INDEPENDENT PROFICIENT LEVEL In this one-day session, secondary teachers will:
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| I6. FOLLOW-UP | |
| SESSION 3—MOVING TO TYPE III'S WITH IIM In this one-day follow-up session, teachers who have training and experience in IIM will use their required curriculum to build units that invite TYPE III research studies. They will:
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ADDITIONAL FOLLOW-UP OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HAD AN INITIAL IIM TRAINING SESSION
I7. MODEL LESSONS AND TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR CONSULTATION | |
The consultant will conduct 2 model lessons focused on specific IIM steps in a unit being implemented as a result of one of the IIM training sessions. This full day would include:
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| I8. PARENT/STUDENT IIM WORKSHOPS * | |
Once teachers are trained and their students are using IIM, this short overview session (1 1/2 - 2 hours) is the perfect way to involve parents in the research process their children are learning. This session gives parents
* Recommended materials: The Parent Guide to Raising Researchers | |
| J1. USING THE RENZULLI LEARNING SYSTEM TO ENHANCE STUDENT PERFORMANCE Facilitator: Gara Field or Sheelah Sweeney 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| The Renzulli Learning System is a powerful tool for identifying student strengths, interests and learning styles. Teachers can use this information to engage students in in-depth independent and group projects, find extensions to the regular curriculum, and motivate students to explore their interests, conduct research, and work independently both in and outside of the classroom. This workshop will aid teachers in planning units and strturing activities that take advantage of this unique tool. | |
| J2. ADVANCED TRAINING FOR RENZULLI LEARNING SYSTEM USERS: MAKING CONNECTIONS TO YOUR CURRICULUM & GUIDING STUDENT PROJECTS Facilitator: Gara Field, Sheelah Sweeny, or Nancy Heilbronner 8:30-3:00—Limit 40 participants | |
| Designed for teachers who have been using the Renzulli Learning System with their students, this session delves into the Wizard Project Maker as a tool to facilitate project-based learning. Teachers will explore Super Starter Projects and SEM Xplorations for use with students as they scaffold instruction leading to independent projects using the Wizard Project Maker. Teachers will be shown different ways to use the System to make curriculum connections and for use in planning units of study. | |